Volunteering Groups

If you are interested in volunteering with HOMED you will need to attend ONE training session before you can volunteer with us. Our training sessions this semester are:

- Wednesday 1st Feb 2012   7.30PM Meeting Room 6, LUU

- Tuesday 7th Feb 2012   6PM Business School Maurice Keyworth SR 1.06

Each session will last approx one hour and refreshments will be provided.

Aim: To make a difference to the lives of the homeless in Leeds

Objectives:

• Visit our hostels regularly providing a friendly ear to tenants
• Educate students about homelessness and social exclusion
• Challenge prejudice and stereotypes
• Be the friendly face of students
• Be active in local homeless projects

HOMED is a charity which currently works with three hostels within the Leeds area. Student volunteers visit each of these hostels one evening a week to help encourage social interaction and help improve the social and emotional well being of the hostel tenants. We also provide hot drinks and meals, which are especially important during the winter months, and regularly engage tenants in social interaction through playing games and participating in group activities. We work with one mixed sex hostel, one female only hostel and one male only hostel so volunteers are able to choose which they would prefer to visit.

Volunteering with HOMED helps to raise awareness of the issues relating to homelessness and social exclusion, such as; drug and alcohol addiction, prostitution and mental health problems. HOMED enables students who may not have encountered homeless issues before to gain a better understanding; such as why people become homeless and some of the challenges that homeless people may face.  This is often not what volunteers expect and many are surprised at the shocking backgrounds and life experiences of some of our tenants. This helps students to understand why these individuals have become homeless and the challenges they face today when trying to reintegrate with society.

HOMED benefits both the homeless of Leeds and the students at Leeds University. The feedback we have received from the hostel staff is always positive.  Staff at Bracken Court said about HOMED, “The tenants look forward to students coming to visit and chatting with them.  Students are very well missed by tenants when they are on leave”.  Homelessness is a real problem in Leeds which can often be ignored. Our volunteers help address this problem whilst receiving great satisfaction through the work that they do.

Volunteering with HOMED does not tie you down or take up a large amount of your time, you can volunteer whenever you are free, from once a week to once a year! Any time you can spare will make a great difference to the individuals we help to support. No experience is necessary; we will provide training, support and advice throughout your time spent volunteering with us. If you would like further details about volunteering with HOMED please contact us on the email address below.

Contact Us

homed@leeds.ac.uk

Co-Presidents:

Sarah James um08sj@leeds.ac.uk

Elinor Jones um08elj@leeds.ac.uk

http://www.facebook.com/groups/302820966398020/

Downloads:

Risk Assessment

Volunteer Briefing

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